Preparing for the End

How have you prepared
for the end of your life?

Thinking about our demise
can be moribund. Such thoughts can come with the loss of a loved
one, a danger averted or simply with age. While our culture seems to
encourage ignorance of such thoughts (and a delusion of material
immortality), it is inevitable that life will present us with the
opportunity to think about the end.

How do we prepare for the
end? Yes, we can do some spiritual housekeeping. We can update our
wills. We can increase the amount of our life insurance. But, there
is little we can do to prepare for the suffering our loved ones will
endure when we enter the death process.

Jesus tried to prepare his
followers for his death with a meal. Yet, he knew they would not be
ready. Just as well, he would face his destiny alone.

The
Plot Against Jesus

14:1 After two days,
there would be the Pascha and the (feast of the) Unleavened
(Breads), and the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how,
seizing HIM by wily means, they could kill HIM. 2 For they kept
saying, “Not during the festival, lest there will be a riot by the
people.”

14:1 “...the Pascha and
the feast of Unleavened Breads...” These were actually two feasts
that fell in the same season, so were celebrated together. The
Pascha was celebrated on the 15th of Nisan (see Exodus 12:13, 23,
27); the focus of this feast was on the lamb and the ritual of
spreading the lamb’s blood on the doorposts. The feast of the
Unleavened Breads (“Hag Hamatzot” in Hebrew) was celebrated for a
week (15th to the 21st of Nisan; the focus of this feast seemed to
be culinary “spring cleaning.” Since both were celebrated on the
same day (15th of Nisan) both were called Passover.

Some scholars see the
mention of two feasts as a Markan literary addition, since Passover
(Pasca) was (and is) far more known that the “Feast of Unleavened
Breads.”

10 Judas Isacriot, one
of the Twelve, came to the chief priests so (he) could betray HIM to
them. 11 Hearing (this) they rejoiced and promised to give him
silver (coins). So, he kept trying (to find a way) how he could
easily hand HIM over.

Many scholars have proposed
reasons for the plot against Jesus; I have included some of my own
thoughts in the commentary on Matthew’s Passion. Sometimes we gloss
over the conspiratorial aspect of the plot. The trial and death of
Jesus was a premeditated act, committed by the leadership in
Jerusalem. It was a effort not to fit the evidence to the crime, but
the crime to the evidence. And the evidence was meager, indeed.

Much has been speculated
about the reasoning for Judas’ actions. From Mark’s viewpoint, such
speculation was secondary, for Judas was simply an actor that helped
to push the plot against Jesus forward.

(Mark 14:3-9, is the
narrative of the Bethany anointing, which is not included in this
reading of the Passion)

Preparations
for the Passover

14:12 On the first day
of the Unleavened (Breads), when the Pascha was sacrificed, HIS
disciples said to HIM, “Where do you wish, going out, (that) we
should prepare, so you can eat the Pascha?” 13 HE sent two of his
disciples and said to them, “Going into the city, a man will meet
you, carrying an earthen jar of water. Follow him 14 and, wherever
he enters, say to the head of the household, ‘The TEACHER says,
“Where is MY guestroom where I can eat the Pascha with MY
disciples.” 15 He will show you a large (upper) room, spread out
(with carpets and reclining pillows) and ready. Prepare (the supper)
for us there.” The disciples went out, came into the city, found
(the room) just as HE told them and prepared the Pascha.

14:12 “the first day of
Unleavened (Breads)” This is a reference to the Passover festival
which lasted eight days. The Passover Seder was celebrated on the
first day (15th of Nisan); since the Jewish day began a sundown, the
celebration would commence in the evening. The lambs would be
butchered that afternoon in the Temple, hours before the supper.

“...the Pascha was
sacrificed...” The pascha was the lamb butchered and prepared for
the Passover meal.

14:13 “...carrying an
earthen jar filled with water...” Since this was considered women’s
work, a male with such a jar would have been considered usual, to
say the least, but was a perfect sign to attract attention.

14:14 “Where is my
guestroom...?” Since Passover was a major holiday for religious
pilgrimage, Jerusalem swelled to over 120,000 people. In this
environment, it’s not surprising Jesus had made prior arrangements
to celebrate the holiday in the city proper.

14:15 “...a large, upper
room...” That is, on the second story.

“spread out (with carpets
and reclining pillows) “ Since Jews ate in the Greek fashion of
reclining, carpets and reclining pillows would be proper for this
celebration.

The preparation for the
Last Supper was unusual but necessary when we view it in context of
the gospel. Jesus’ life was in danger, so preparations had to be
done in secret. The sign for contact was unusual: a man doing a
woman’s chore. While this might have been obvious to the people in
the neighborhood, we must remember the city’s population growth at
the time of the Passover. The city was bursting with visitors; many
households in the city were hosting guests and family members from
out of town. The bustle that the holiday brought distracted people.
A sign that was obvious to one person would be ignored by another,
and, even if the sign were noticed, there would not be time enough
to gossip about a man fetching water from the neighborhood pool.

The size of the room
implied the Last Supper would be celebrated in a wealthy man’s house
in a well-to-do part of the city (possibly the “Upper City?”). While
multi-story building were not unusual in ancient times, a banquet
room on a second story suggested the owner’s status as a leader in
the community. Both economic and political arrangements were
negotiated over meals in the homes of leaders; a banquet room
indicated the place for such deal-making.

The preparation for the
Passover, then, suggested Jesus had a wealthy patron in Jerusalem
who felt honored to host the meal for the traveling Rabbi.

Sitting
to Eat

17 Being late (in the
day), he came with the Twelve. 18 Reclining for the meal with them
and eating (with them), JESUS said, “Amen, I say to you that one of
you eating with ME will betray ME.” 19 They began to be distressed
and , one after another, said to HIM, “Not I?” 20 (HE) said to them,
“One of the Twelve, the (one) dipping (his bread) with me into the
dish. 21 The SON OF MAN goes just as it is written about him, but
woe to the that man by whom the SON OF MAN is betrayed. (It would
be) better for him if that man had not been born.”

The
Last Supper

22 As they were eating,
taking bread, saying the blessing, (HE) broke (it) have gave (it) to
them and said, “Take, this is MY body.” 23 Taking the cup, saying
the blessing, he gave (it) to them and all (of them) drank from it.
24 (HE) said to them, This is MY blood of the covenant, to be poured
out on behalf of the many. 25 Amen I say to you that I will
(certainly) no longer drink from the fruit of the vine until that
day when (I) MYSELF will drink it anew in the Kingdom of God.” 26
Singing hymns, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

14:22 “saying the
blessing...” The Jewish blessing form (know as the “barak”) praised
God for the gift of the bread: “Blessed are you, O Lord our God,
king of the universe, who cause bread to come forth from the earth.”

14:24 “on behalf of the
many” In this case “the many” is not a particular group but is
indeterminate.

14:25 “that I will
(certainly) no longer drink “ In Greek the phrase “no longer” is
modified by a double negative (“I will no longer not not drink...”).
The effect is to add extreme emphasis.

14:26 “Singing hymns”
These hymns were most likely the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 115-118);
singing these psalms were traditional for Passover meal.

Prediction
of Peter’s Denial

27 JESUS said to them,
“All of you will be scandalized, so it is written ‘I will strike the
shepherd and the flock will be dispersed.’ 28 But, after I am
raised, you will precede me into Galilee.” 29 Peter said to HIM, “If
all will be scandalized, not I.” 30 JESUS said to him, “Amen, I say
to you that, today, this night, before the rooster crows twice,
(even) you will deny me three times.” 31 But Peter said
emphatically, “Even if it is necessary for me to die with YOU, I
will never deny YOU.” And all said they same.

14:27 “scandalized” The
verb is the same in English as it is in Greek, but the context does
not only mean disappointment and disillusionment. The verb also
meant abandonment.

14:30 “ before the
rooster crows twice” What does this phrase mean? There are three
possible explanation. First, one rooster literally crowed as a
response to another (just before dawn). Second, the phrase was a
idiomatic expression that referred to a Roman bugle call
(“gallicinium” in Latin) which announced the end of the third watch
(3:00 AM) and a change of the guard. Third, it can simply refer to a
time frame when roosters would crow (before dawn).

Mark placed the Last Supper
in the context of betrayal. Mark 14:17-21 announced Jesus’ knowledge
of the plot against him and the involvement of Judas in that plot.
Mark 14:27-31 prophesied the abandonment of the Master by his
disciples. Thematically, these two passages created a quasi
“stair-step” or “A-B-A” form to highlight the words of institution.
In other words, Mark saw the Eucharist in terms of mental anguish.
The commitment of intimacy found in the breaking of bread and the
sharing of a cup was thread bare. Jesus gave his life to his
followers. What did they give in return? Very little beyond bravado.

Two differences between the
betrayal of Judas and the abandonment of the disciples were a matter
of timing and intent. The prophecy of Judas’ betrayal preceded the
Last Supper, while the comment on abandonment was after the
self-giving of the Master. Judas would dip the morsel in the common
dish along with Jesus, a sign of not only fellowship, but of a
interweaved destiny. Judas would be condemned for his duplicity.
Those who would abandon Jesus, however, would be forgiven and become
witnesses to the Resurrection. Why? They were innocent, without
guile. The betrayal and arrest of Jesus would scandalize them and
cause their loss of commitment.

The Last Supper glued the
two prophecies together and acted as a counterpoint. As the
commentary pointed out before, what Jesus did for his followers,
they could not do for him. The stair-step format of these passages
did put a focus on the institution Eucharist; the
betrayal-abandonment comments only heightened that focus. “This is
My Body...This I My Blood of the covenant, poured out for many”
clearly stated the intent of Jesus; he would give is all for his
followers. This gift would be fulfilled only with the realization of
the Kingdom, when the Lord would “drink of the fruit of the vine
anew.” That fulfillment would come in the Resurrection.

How has the Passion
narrative strengthened your faith commitment?

Jesus prepared himself for
his death. He tried to prepare his followers. Next, we will see the
results of that preparation. Let us keep in mind that his words to
us, his followers, were not to console our loss, but to look beyond
to his glory.

Take the time this week
to walk the way of the cross with the Lord. Reflect on your
weaknesses and your need for the Master.

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